So, I always knew goldfish weren't the brightest of animals, but this one really takes the cake:

[WindRavenX]

One of the very first things Kyle and I did when we moved into our apartment not two weeks ago was to get a fishbowl and a couple of goldfish; we like having living things surround us.

Anyway, so one of the fish was a little fan tail and very small. The other was a very big lionhead goldfish (both can co-exist in the same bowl peacefully). Well, Kyle named the fat one Bubba, and for damn good reason. All this goddamn fish did for 2 weeks was eat--we only them every other day (which we were told was pretty frequent), yet the big one kept eating. When there were no flakes at the top, he was always seen at the bottom eating the fallen flakes.

Last night, I joked Bubba was going to eat himself to death. Well tonight I came home from work, and the stupid thing was at the bottom. Only this time he wasn't moving.

When I inspected the body, he was easily 2X as big as he was when we first got him, AND his tummy was huge.

So I suspect the stupid fucker actually DID eat himself to death.

Wow.

[Lethe]

1. constipation

fish can get it too. Real common in bettas. Not sure about goldfish. There are some diseases though where the tummy will distend too. :(

[WindRavenX]

2. Yeah, fish are delicate like that

I still think he ate himself to death thou :D

I once had a betta that lived for 9 years. Damn thing wouldn't die.

[Lethe]

4. holy shite that is awesome!

i think my record is 5 years for a betta. You have some serious betta skillz. :D

RIP Biscuit
The best betta that ever lived. (sorry Tokey)

[Reverend_Smitty]

3. I've heard of dogs eating everything you put in front of them...

but never a goldfish...well I guess that's why you can pick them up so cheaply at the pet store :shrug:

I want to pick up a couple of those fighting Betta fish. I think they are neat looking plus you can buy a bowl that has a divider where you can slide a little piece of colored plastic in between them and seclude them or remove it and they will start pecking at the dividing wall to try and fight each other. I think it would provide hours of fun

[Omphaloskepsis]

5. Actually, the nitrite overload probably killed it.

You really need to underfeed goldfish. They will eat shit before they starve. They can go weeks without feeding. If food hit the bottom you gave them to much.

You need about one gallon of water per inch of fish. Surface area is also important. A high tank supports less fish than a wide tank. Oxygen exchange only occurs on the surface.

[WindRavenX]

6. But we cleaned the water nearly everyday

NT

[Omphaloskepsis]

8. How did you clean the water..? Did you have a filter? Or replace water?

New water needs to be conditioned first.. Goldfish can hold up well to random water.. But it can easily kill them. Temperature being the number one killer.

[WindRavenX]

9. filter/room temp.

Trust me, I know the basics for taking care of them...I honestly didn't think I was overfeeding them, but, guess I need to just really cut back...

[petronius]

7. Goldfish have a tendency to eat as long as food is available

So, if you keep putting food in they will keep eating - they will literally eat themselves to death (I assume constipation is the direct cause).

You need to be careful not to overfeed the little nimrods...

Sorry you lost Bubba.

[Gold Metal Flake]

10. Gold fish need air.

We have al seen the simple bowls with a goldfish in it, but goldfish need to have air and if you don't have a pump they will starve for oxygen. Betas are often seen in bowls without pumps but they have little lungs as well as gills. Goldfish just have gills. Also, goldfish are filthy. They don't digest well, and they will polute a bowl quickly.

Maybe get one of those small tank kits that come complete from the pet store. Has air pump, light and filter with it. All in one. They may or may not have a heater. Goldfish do not like heat, so you don't need a heater.

I have some goldfish now in a small tank that I got from a yardsale. If I knew all of what I wrote above beforehand I would have gotten one of those tank kits. They are doin' all right now that I have a filter and a pump.